Correlational study between negative affect and school refusal

• Main Authors: Cándido J. Inglés, Carolina Gonzálvez Maciá, José Manuel García Fernández, María Vicent Juan, Ricardo Sanmartin López
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Asociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y Discapacidad 2016-07-01
• Series: INFAD
• Subjects: afecto negativo; rechazo escolar; correlaciones; educación primaria
• Online Access: http://www.infad.eu/RevistaINFAD/OJS/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/272
• ISSN: 0214-9877; 2603-5987

The study of affect and its relationship with school refusal behaviour is a field of research with little previous works. The aim of the study was to analyse the relationship between Negative Affect and the different factors that justify the school refusal in students of Primary Education. The sample consisted of 476 Spanish students with an age ranged between 8 and 12 years (M = 10.08; DE= 1.28). The variables of this study were evaluated by the 10-Item Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children (PANAS-C), to assess the Negative Affect subscale, and the School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised for Children (SRAS-R-C), to assess the four factors that justify the school refusal behaviour (I. Avoid Negative affectivity; II Escape the Social Aversion or Evaluation; III. Search for Significant Attention of Others; IV. Search Tangible Reinforcements Outside School). The results revealed that there were significant and positive correlations between Negative Affect and the first three factors of the SRAS-R-C, but they were not significant for the fourth factor. The results confirm the relationship between negative emotions and feelings with school refusal, something that should be considered in the study of these cases.